Slicing machine



Nov. 6, 1934. w. J. CAMPBELL SLICING MACHINE ori inal Filed Sept. 16. 19:52 2 Shets-Sheet 1 JQ/m aefi MM Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITE sr ENT iFFflC to American Slicing Machine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New York (lriginal application September 16, 1932, Serial No. 633,522. Divided and this application April- 27, 1933, Serial No. 668,161

5 Claims. (Cl. 308 -163) My invention relates to an improvement in slicing machines and has for one purpose the provision of improved bearing means for knife and u knife shaft. Another object is the provision of improved means for assembling or disassembling,

knife, knife shaft, and knife pulley. Another object is to obtain a bearing that is noiseless, having far less noise than the conventional roller or ball bearing. Another object is the provision of a bearing in which spring tension is provided to take up all lost motion and end play which might be caused by inaccuracy in manufacture. Another object is the provision of means herein shown as spring tension means, which automatically take up what little wear there is in the bearings due to end play. Another object is the provision of a bearing assembly that can be assembled and disassembled without the aid of any tools.

Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

The present application is a division of application Serial No. 633,522, filed on September 16, 1932, which application is itself a continuation in part of application Serial No. 598,131, filed on March 11, 1932.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is an end elevation;

Figure 2 is a vertical axial section along the knife shaft;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4; is a partial section;

Figure 5 is a section similar to Figure 2 through a slightly variant form of device;

Figure 6 is a section through a further variation; and

Figure '7 is a section through a still further slight variation.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, A generally indicates any suitable base with anti-vibrational pads or supports A which may rest upon any suitable supporting surface A which may be a counter or the like.

B indicates a motor housing mounted on the base A. It will be understood that within it is 9 any suitable motor and motor shaft not herein indicated, with a suitable motor pulley about which may pass any suitable belt B C indicates any suitable housing extension pror jecting upwardly from the base A. Formed in- "5 tegrally with it is a flared sleeve C terminating rearwardly in a generally cylindrical portion C The cylindrical portion C is shown as including an inwardly extending sleeve C which may be mounted upon or strengthened by fins or connecting webs 0 Positioned within the sleeve 0 at opposite ends thereof, are bearing sleeves proper C flanged at each end as at C these bearing sleeves being thrust inwardly into opposite ends of the surrounding sleeve C They may each be grooved as at C to provide oil passages whereby oil or any other suitable lubricant delivered downwardly from the cup C may reach the bearing surface of the sleeves C and flanges C D indicates a knife shaft in bearing engagement with each of the said sleeves C It is enlarged at one end as at D ,this enlargement abutting against the flange C of one of the sleeves C as shown in Figure 2. The knife shaft is reduced at its outer end as at D which reduced end terminates in a species of button D slotted or channeled at the sides as at D to receive any suitable securing washer D which is slotted at one side as at D to permit it to be slipped on the button D Surrounding the reduced portion D is the compression member D with an enlarged flange D adapted to abut against the flange C of the nearest bearing sleeve 0 Associated with the compression member I) but slidable in relation thereto, is the locking cup D which surrounds the washer D D is any suitable spring compressed between the cup D and the flange D whereby the cup is urged against the washer D and the member D with its flange D is urged against the shoulder in the knife shaft D and against the flange C of the bearing sleeve C D is any suitable means for preventing relative rotation of the knife shaft D and the compression member D It is shown herein as a pin D penetrating apertures D in the two members.

E is any suitable outer cap or closure, mounted on theend ofthe sleeve 0 and closing the parts last described. E is a gasket or sealing member.

Referring to the structure shown in Figure 2 the disc D which may be press-fitted on the shaft D has secured to a rear face thereof an inner I pulley cup G and an outer pulley cup G each cup being formed with a fiat inner web portion G these inner'web portions abutting against each other and being secured as by a clamp ring G and by the screws G to the enlarged member D of the shaft D. D is a shoulder on the member D against which are clamped, as illustrated in Figures 5 and '7, the web portions of the cups G, G by the disc D which may be press-fitted. G is any suitable rotary knife secured to the shaft D as by the screw G The details of the knife do not of themselves form part of the present invention, but it is noted that the knife is forwardly recessed as at G. Note that the pulley assembly is housed. within the fiared sleeve C the front of thisfiared sleeve being closed by the knife G itself.

If generally indicates any suitable work supporting carriage the details of which do not form part of the present invention. It may be mounted upon tracks H for manual reciprocation and may be provided with a pusher plate H H is a gauge plate which may be controlled for example as by the adjusting handle H through any suitable intermediate mechanism. H is any suitable slice receiver.

Referring to the form of Figure 5 I illustrate an outer removable sleeve J in which may be positioned the actual bearing sleeves J with their flanges J Positioned about the outer end of the knife shaft D is a thrust member J which is held against rotation in relation to the knife shaft D and may be moved longitudinally therealong. I illustrate for example an axially extending groove J in the knife shaft penetrated by a pin J 5 inwardly projecting from the wall of the sleeve J The end of the knife shaft terminates in a screwthreaded portion J 6 upon which is mounted the nut J the lock washer J 8 and the lock nut J Ihe thrust member or collar J is moved, in response to the rotation of the nut J", against the flange J of one of the bearing sleeves J The enlargement D of the opposite end of the knife and the thrust member J 3 engages the face of the opposite flange J By interposing the thrust member J between the nut J and one of the flanges J I obtain an exceedingly accurate and true opposition of the thrust member J to the flange J as the member J 3 is aligned by the shaft and is therefore indepentent of imperfections in the accuracy of the screwthreading of the nut J and the opposed portion of the shaft. In other words, the member J is a self-aligning thrust member which obtains a true and accurate surface engagement against the flange J In the form of Figure 6 I illustrate a somewhat different means for maintaining the proper tightness of the knife and pulley assembly. In the place of the thrust member J 3 I provide a similar thrust collar L. Associated with it is a collar L which may be pinned as by the pin L to the shaft D, whereby there is no relative movement of the collar L in relation to the shaft D. The collar is flanged as at L and provided with a generally cylindrical portion L of less diameter than the flange. The flange L is shown as of about the same diameter as the collar L. Compressed between the fia-nge L and the collar L is a spring L which thrusts the collar L- against the opposed flange J of the bearing sleeve J In order to prevent rotation of the collar L in relation to the shaft D, while permitting axial movement, I illustrate, as an example, a pin L interpenetrating both with the collar L and the fixed collar L Referring to the form of Figure 7, I dispense with the sleeve J, returning to the form shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the sleeve C integral with the frame of the device. Referring to the figure, M is any suitable oiling duct controlled by any suitable oiler M The shaft assembly is held together much as in the case of Figure 2', that is to say, a thrust member D is held against rotation relative to the shaft by the pin- D and it is axially urged into position as by the spring D In the place of the abutment member D and the lock washer D of Figure l, I employ a screw 0 with an abutment washer 0 for engagement with the spring D It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practical and. operative device, nevertheless many changes might be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather than as limiting me to my specific showing.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

The structure herein described and shown forms a light, easily operated and efficient slicing machine of the manual feed type, in which the rotary knife is rotated at relatively high speed by electric motor means. The carriage H is manually moved across the face of and past the cutting edge of the knife. The slices engaged by the gauge plate H are received on the slice receiving member H I provide simple and improvedbearing means for the knife shaft D. It is to the highest degree important that the knife rotate smoothly, with a minimum of friction and therefore of a minimum of wear and of lost power. I employ the bearing sleeves C or J which may be of any suitable material, but I find, as a practical material, a mixture of bronze, lead and graphite. However, I do not rely on the nature of the material itself alone, but provide means for injecting a lubricant into the space about the central portion of the shaft D, namely the duct or oiling member C or M In order to insure a close and accurate engagement of the opposed bearing faces I provide thrust collars or members, such as the member D of Figures 1, 2 and 4, with spring means for urging the opposed portion of the collar against the opposed flange C of the bearing sleeve G I have shown in my various figures a variety of means for obtaining this result. I find the form of Figures 1 and 2 particularly practical as admitting of a quick and ready method of assembling and disassembling the device. Assume that the parts are in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 and that the user wishes to disassemble the knifev unit. I-Ie first unscrews the cap E. He then thrusts the locking cup D from the position in which it is shown in Figure 2 into the position in which it is shown in Figure 4, thrusting it against the spring D and compressing the spring. This moves the cup out of alignrnent with the washer D which can then be slipped out of place by means of its slot D There is then nothing to prevent the entire knife assembly, including the knife itself, the pulley, and the knife shaft, right out of the bearing sleeves. The compression of the spring D prevents-this from happen-ing accidentally, since it always holds the locking disc or cup D in alignment with or about the washer D whereby the washer cannot be slipped accidentally out of place.

If the operator wishes to remove the knife from the rest of the assembly he can do so, by loosening the screw G Thus I have provided a hearing which can be assembled and disassembled without the aid of any tools.

The spring tension means, for example the spring D of Figure 4 or the spring L of Figure 6, such spring means shown in all form except Figure. 5, is effective to take. up all lost motion and end play which might be caused by inaccuracy in manufacture. This spring tension further automatically takes up what little wear there may be in the bearings due to end play. In cutting meat the pressure at the side of the knife is from right to left, referring to the parts in the position in which they are shown in Figure 1. This pressure on the knife shaft is in the same direction as the spring which normally tends to pull the knife shaft. The hearing so provided is noiseless.

I claim:

1. In combination, a base, a bearing sleeve assembly normally fixed on said base, a knife shaft rotatable in said assembly, means for holding said knife shaft against axial movement in relation to said bearing sleeve assembly including an integral thrust shoulder on the shaft adjacent one end thereof and means at the opposite end of the shaft for resiliently mounting the thrust shoulder in contact with the bearing sleeve assembly, an enlargement at one end of said knife shaft beyond said thrust shoulder, a knife secured to the for- Ward face of said enlargement, and a pulley structure secured to the rear face of said enlargement.

2. In combination, a base, a bearing sleeve assembly normally fixed on said base, a knife shaft rotatable in said assembly, means for holding said knife shaft against axial movement in relation to said bearing sleeve assembly including an integral thrust shoulder on the shaft adjacent one end thereof and means at the opposite end of the shaft for resiliently mounting the thrust shoulder in contact with the bearing sleeve assembly, an enlargement at one end of said knife shaft beyond said thrust shoulder, a knife secured to the forward face of said enlargement, a pulley structure secured to the rear face of said enlargement, said pulley structure including a plurality of mating cups having edge portions flared apart and means passing through said enlargement from the forward face thereof to secure the pulley to the rear face thereof, said knife being cut away adjacent said securing means whereby to provide ready access thereto.

3. In combination, a shaft and means for rotating it, an outer sleeve surrounding said shaft, a plurality of closed bearing sleeves mounted one at each end of the outer sleeve, each such bearing sleeve having cylindrical exterior and interior surfaces, and being provided with a flange adapted to engage the end of the outer sleeve and limit the penetration of said bearing sleeve within said outer sleeve, an enlargement on one end of said knife shaft adapted to engage one of said flanges, a thrust member axially movable in relation to the other end of said shaft and yielding means for thrusting it against the opposite of said flanges, including an abutment on the shaft, and a coil spring surrounding the shaft and compressed between the thrust ring and the abutment.

4. In combination, a shaft and means for rotating it, an outer sleeve surrounding said shaft, a plurality of bearing sleeves mounted one at each end of said outer sleeve, an enlargement on one end of said shaft adapted to engage an end of one of said sleeves, the opposite end of the shaft adjacent the outer end of the other sleeve being reduced in diameter to thereby define an annular shoulder positioned slightly inwardly of the outer end of said sleeve, a thrust member mounted upon said reduced portion of the shaft and axially movable in relation to said shaft, and yielding means for thrusting it against the outer end of said other sleeve, said thrust member and said shoulder being provided with longitudinally aligned recesses and a connecting pin engaged in said recesses to thereby lock the thrust member against rotation relative to the shaft.

5. In combination, a shaft and means for rotating it, an outer sleeve surrounding said shaft, a plurality of bearing sleeves mounted one at each end of said outer sleeve, an enlargement on one end of said shaft adapted to engage an end of one of said sleeves, a thrust member axially movable in relation to the other end of said shaft, and yielding means for thrusting it against an end of the opposite of said sleeves, including a laterally removable washer interpenetrating with one end of the knife shaft, a locking cup adapted, when in washer engaging position, to prevent lateral movement of the washer, and spring means compressed between said locking cup and said thrust member, the knife shaft being provided with a button for engagement with said washer and a neck therefor, the washer being provided with a slot of sufficient diameter to permit the washer to he slipped on the neck of said button.

WILLIAM J. CAMPBELL. 

